5 Ways a Vacuum Sealer Can Reduce Your Grocery Bill

All of us would love to save a little money, and groceries are one of the top expenses today. Grocery costs ate up an average of 9.5% of Americans’ disposable incomes in 2019. Since we spend such a large portion of our funds on food and meals, finding strategies to cut those costs can make a huge impact on our overall budgets.

To that end, here are five ways a vacuum sealer can reduce your grocery bill.

1. Sous Vide Cooking

If you’ve never heard of sous vide cooking, here’s a basic primer: It means sealing meat in an airtight container — usually a plastic bag — then cooking it in temperature-controlled water. This can be a slower method of preparing meat or protein because it cooks at a lower heat.

Oliso’s vacuum sealers are perfect for home cooks who like to utilize the sous vide technique of preparing food. Rather than using a typical zip-close plastic bag, which can have a tendency to pop open, your vacuum-sealed package of meat will cook effortlessly. You can have a tasty meal without the expense of going out to a restaurant, which makes cooking at home a more appealing option.

2. Shop in Bulk and Preserve Foods

A vacuum sealer is a useful kitchen tool because it enables you to safely freeze extra portions of food you buy in bulk. We’ve all had that unfortunate experience of stocking up on items at the bulk store, only to discover we can’t possibly eat everything before it goes bad.

When you have your vacuum sealer, you know you can purchase lots of different food items in bulk and simply freeze any portions you can’t use right away. Fill up your freezer with vacuum-sealed meats, cheeses, and many other grocery items to make the most of every grocery trip.

No more worries when you purchase cilantro, for example, to make your famous guacamole. I know many of us are guilty of using just a tiny amount of rarely used ingredients like this and then wasting the rest. Even if you use certain herbs infrequently, you can simply seal up the remaining quantity to use at a later date, saving you money the next time you make the recipe.

3. Make the Most of Your Garden

If you tend a large garden, you might always be at a loss for how to use up all of your beautiful produce before it rots. It’s awful to put all that work into a successful garden, then see the fruits of your labor go to waste. Your vacuum sealer is a handy appliance that enables you to preserve more of nature’s bounty at the time of its peak freshness.

Oliso’s vacuum sealer uses patented dual-seal fresh keeper technology to maximize food storage freshness. By using your vacuum sealer, you can enjoy a rich harvest of squash, tomatoes, and plenty of other garden-fresh produce and preserve any excess in your freezer.

Even if you don’t have a green thumb, a vacuum sealer comes in handy for getting more value out of your purchased produce, thereby reducing food waste. You’ll keep your grocery bills lower by using up everything you grow and buy. Plus, you’ll have fresh produce to enjoy through the winter months.

4. Freeze Preportioned Meal Servings

One way to save money on your groceries is to do a little advance planning. For instance, when you’re making lasagna, you might prepare two full pans and then use your vacuum sealer to freeze extras into individual portions for later use.

This saves you money because you know that on those hectic weeknights, you’ve got handy single-serving meals. They’re ready to pull out of the freezer at a moment’s notice instead of throwing something together haphazardly or spending a lot more on takeout. Plus, as an added bonus, you save time by doing all the prep work for a bunch of meals in one day.

Another way this may help you to reduce your grocery bill is by cutting down on overeating. Since many of us tend to serve ourselves directly from the pot or pan, it can be hard to judge portion sizes properly. By preparing accurate single servings to freeze with your vacuum sealer, you eliminate that human tendency to take more food than you need. You’ll consume less food overall and automatically decrease your grocery bill. It’s healthier for your waistline as well as your wallet.

5. Freeze Homemade Sauces

Lots of home cooks like to make their own salad dressings, sauces, and other condiments. This enables you to control the taste, ingredients, and freshness much better than with store-bought items. You can use your vacuum sealer to preserve your special homemade sauces for use at a future time.

This keeps your grocery costs down if you have a wide variety of food items already in your freezer. If you’re looking for a fun way to dress up plain grilled chicken, you can simply turn to your freezer stash of homemade marinades and sauces. You’ll avoid last-minute trips to the store, which we know add up to spending much more than we intended.

The Final Word: Vacuum Sealers Keep Grocery Costs Down!

An Oliso vacuum sealer can be a great kitchen tool to help you make the most of the food you grow and buy. Many families are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and compared to the potential savings of freezing extra food, the cost of a new vacuum sealer is relatively low. You can pay off the investment of an Oliso vacuum sealer within just a few short months. 

There are plenty of other great uses for a vacuum sealer, but these five tips will get you saving money on your grocery bill before you know it. It’s worth the extra effort of planning ahead and vacuum sealing foods to save money.

Ashley Warner is a professional marketer and in her spare time, she enjoys being a home chef. She’s used a vacuum sealer for years to help save money and ease her kitchen prep.